Railroad-rail joint.



W. R. DRAKE & H. J. PIERCE. RAILROAD RAIL JOINT. APPLIOATION TILED SEPT. 20, 1907. 909,770.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

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"Specification of Letters Patent.

"Patented. Jan. 12,1909.

Application filed. September 20, .1907. Serial No. 393,353.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM R. DRAKE and II. J. PIERCE, citizens of the United "tates, residents of Clover-land, in the county of Clay and State of Indiana, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Railroad-Rail Joints; and we declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a side view of the invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one section of the joint. Fig. 3 is a similar View of the other section of the joint. Fig. 4 is a section of the line ll, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a similar view with the locking plate omitted.

The invention has relation to railway rail joints of lapping character, and it consists in the novel construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, the letters a, and b, indicate the adjoining ends of two rails, showing the joint construction.

The web of the rail a, projects as at 0, beyond the end of the tread (Z, and the flange 6, forming a tenon f, designed to en gage at its upper and lower portions a seat 9, formed in the end of the rail 1). This tenon f, has an inner upper portion f, which is parallel to the rail tread, or horizontal, and beyond such horizontal portion the tenon is curved downward and outward toward the lower point thereof, as shown at F. The opposite rail, b, has a horizontal central groove /2, formed in the under side of its outward projecting tread portion located over the seat 9, such groove engaging the horizontal upper portion 7, of the tenon Beyond such horizontal groove the web of the rail is cut away in an arcuate or curved manner to fit the downward and outward curved portion f', of the tenon.

The tenon f, is provided with lateral pr0- jections 2', at its lower outer or corner portion, such projections fitting in a similarly shaped slot seat 7', in the tread of the opposing rail 6, the slot 7', having a narrowed open extension thereof shown at j, just the width of the web of the rail and extending outward to the end of the rail.

In putting the rails together the rail a, is

laid upon the ties and secured in proper position, the rail Z), being then raised at one end to the height thereof, so that the narrowed open slot extension 9', will engage the upper portion of the tongue f, which will pass therethrough. Upon further movement of the rail 1), downward the narrowed slot extension j, will pass into its seat behind the lateral projections z', and the horizontal groove h, in the lower surface of the tread of the rail Z), will fit over the horizontal inner upper portion of the tongue of the rail a, until such tread rests thereon.

Suflicient margin is allowed in the proportions of the parts to admit of the necessary expansion and contraction of the rails without disturbance of the joint, the short horizontal groove h, in such expansion and contraction having a sliding movement upon the horizontal upper surface at the inner end of the tenon f.

A locking plate 7c, having a dovetail or undercut groove is, therein fits over the flange of the rail and is slid therealong into position under the joint so as to bind it securely. This locking plate aids in holding the ends of the rails level, solidifies their joint connection and prevents them from battering into the tie.

Having described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a rail joint, the combination with a rail having a seat in its web portion at one end, a horizontal groove in the lower side of the rail tread above such seat, and a slot seat in the rail flange having an open contracted extension. of a rail having its tread and flange portions cut away at one end, a projecting tenon at such end fitting into such seat, said tenon having a horizontal upper surface fitting into the horizontal tread groove, and lateral projections fitting into said slot seat in the flange of the opposing rail.

2. In a rail joint, the combination with a rail having an arcuate seat in its web portion at one end, a horizontal groove in the lower side of the rail tread above such seat, and a slot seat in the rail flange having an open contracted extension, of a rail having its tread and flange portions cut away at one end, an arcuate projecting tenon at such end fitting into such seat, said tenon having a horizontal upper surface fitting into the horizontal tread groove, and lateral corner projections fitting into said slot seat in the flange of the opposing rail.

3. In a rail joint, the combination with a rail having a seat in its web portion at one end, a horizontal groove in'the lower sideof the rail tread above such seat, and a slot seat in the rail flange having an open contracted extension, of a rail having its tread and flange portions cut away-at one end, a projecting tenon at such end fitting into such seat, said tenon having a horizontal upper surface fitting into the horizontal tread groove, and lateral projections fitting into said slot seat in the flange of the opposin rail, and a locking plate below such 15 oint having a dovetail groove therein enga ing the ange of the rail.

fn testimony whereof we aflix our signatures, in presence of two witnesses. \VM. R. DRAKE. HAROLD J. PIERCE. Witnesses:

ELMO M. PIERCE, ALICE PIERCE. 

